Most people have some idea of how difficult looking after young children can be, particularly when you aren’t getting a good night’s sleep. For many new parents the learning curve is very steep. One excellent resource now available in Parent Resource Corner is the Mother’s Mental Health Toolkit. Developed in Canada, the Mother’s Mental Health Toolkit is full of accessible and practical information for understanding the factors that support good mental health during the many challenges to staying well and happy during the intense period of looking after little ones. This resource includes a wealth of fun, hands-on, and proactive exercises for building strengths and understanding.
The toolkit is aimed towards mothers and anyone who is supporting a mother going through a challenging time to build skills. It includes well designed sections on personal wellness and self-care, on identifying and developing support networks, on attachment and bonding and parenting strategies, on maintaining and improving relationships with the primary partner and parents/grandparents. Material is designed both for mothers or those in the role of primary caregiver to the children, and also for those supporting mothers; partners, parents, friends.
There are also well researched sections with very good information on parenting through depression and other post-partum distresses. The toolkit is also designed to help improve the community resources for supporting and caring for the mother child unit. It aims to remove any stigma that may remain about finding it difficult to be a good parent . All parents who have been through it know how difficult some days/weeks/months can be, and this resource supports new parents by sharing how others survived this time. This toolkit brings together a wealth of high quality tips that may not be easily accessible in general parenting books, with a focus on helping vulnerable mothers.
Available on loan in the Parent Resource Corner